The US Consulate General in Mumbai has announced the resumption of routine visa appointments for all categories, which were put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes scheduling new appointments and the acceptance of 221(g) submissions, with the goal of reducing delays in visa processing for individuals wishing to travel to the US.
According to the Immigrant Visa Unit at the US Consulate General Mumbai, all applicants whose appointments were cancelled during the pandemic have been given instructions on how to reschedule. This move is aimed at addressing the backlog of applications and assisting those whose travel plans were disrupted.
In addition, the Consulate is now accepting 221(g) submissions for all visa categories. This process allows applicants to submit any additional documents required for their visa applications, ensuring a smoother visa approval process.
For those seeking immigrant visas, the process involves being sponsored by either a US citizen or lawful permanent resident or by a prospective US employer with an approved petition from USCIS.
Once the petition is approved by USCIS and pre-processing with the National Visa Center (NVC) is complete, applicants can follow instructions provided by the NVC and the Consulate's website for further guidance. The Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) will also provide instructions to those selected in the Diversity Visa Lottery to continue the visa processing.